We all have a sweet tooth, some of us more than others, and sometimes we like to indulge in those sweet desires, but plain old sugar is not the answer.  There are many alternative sweeteners out there that don’t mess with blood sugar levels and don’t have the bad rap that white sugar does.

1.    Molasses – know, when I say molasses, you think of an olden day setting, Granny stirring a big pot of something steamy over an open fire.  I get it, so let’s bring molasses back in style. Blackstrap molasses is a good source of iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium with 1 tbsp supplying 20% of your daily needs.  Molasses is sweeter than white sugar, so you’ll need to use less, and is best used in baking, adding a certain irreplaceable taste to your sweet treats.

 2.    Raw Honey – We all should give a big shout-out to the bees for this delicious option they give us.  Raw honey is packed with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients and is considered a superfood.  It is thought to help with digestive problems, so adding a teaspoon to your herbal tea is a great alternative sweetener.

 3.    Coconut Sugar – Yes, it is a great alternative, and no, it won’t make everything taste like coconut.  It’s brown-sugar like taste adds a nice depth to whatever you use it for, and it can pretty much be substituted for regular sugar in equal parts.  Coconut sugar is low on the glycemic index, therefore not reeking havoc on your blood sugar levels and avoiding that crash that comes with white sugar.

 4.    Sucanat – It was introduced to the market in the late 70’s…groovy!… and is a whole cane sugar product, basically dried sugar cane juice.  Being unrefined, Sucanat retains its natural molasses, accounting for its darker colour and unmistakable deep flavour.  It is a great substitution for brown sugar in many recipes.

5.   Stevia – This South American herb that is super sweet and if you use too much, you will get a bitter aftertaste.  I use the liquid form in my morning coffee — 2-3 drops only.,  In my baking, I substitute minute amounts of green leaf stevia.  My natural toothpaste is sweetened with stevia too.

 6.  Xylitol – Say it three times fast…yep, it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue…but your teeth will be glad you tried it.  Xylitol has been proven to be easier on your teeth, resulting in fewer cavities when consumed compared to some other types of sugar.  It is naturally found in many fruits and vegetables and is a great substitute for diabetics, as it doesn’t affect insulin levels.  A word of caution for this sweetener though — it is toxic for dogs!  I choose not to have products with this sweetener in the house due to my furry friends, Shadoe and Samson.

So next time that sweet tooth beckons, grab for one of these alternatives and use it in place of your regular old white or brown sugar and see what amazing things you can come up with.